By Janananda Gosvami
Hey that’s not what Prabhupada said. You’ve got it the wrong way round. He said ” resolution, then revolution, then dissolution—no solution!
What do you mean revolution? Another ISKCON reform, a changing of the guards, change the structure of the management, get rid of the tyrants at the top, throw out the guru system, bring in the uttama bhagavata, a philosophical revelation. Aha! An unveiling of the hidden mysteries of ISKCON history, the latest solve the problems technique. The real truth. A social upheaval. What’s he talking about?
I guess some think these are the solutions and would like to make resolutions about it. I ain’t got much of a brain for all the unending speculations and even sincere endeavours flying around, even though like others I get caught up in them only too often. I’m all for a revolution but rather one of conscious transformation.
Mahaprabhu certainly started a revolution, but it was one of transformation by spreading the Holy names. Prabhupada also was a revolutionary to the max.
Dear Sri Dhruva (Secretary to Sri R. D. Birla)
You will understand from the informations that this Krishna Consciousness movement is a major revolutionary renaissance specifically delineating social and religious conception of life based on authorized Vedic culture.
20 August, 1974
Dear Swami Jara Kumar,
In this age the spiritual revolution was recommended by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He demonstrated that the Yuga Dharma for this age is the Sankirtan – chanting of the holy names. If we want the degraded mass of people to be elevated, we must stop their sinful activity. To stop sinful activity one must purify the mind and the best process for purifying the mass mind is the chanting of the maha mantra Hare Krishna. This can be done in public where everyone has a chance to hear and be purified.
We experience that people are becoming more friendly and helping our movement in America simply because we are performing this sankirtana yajna. I hope you can understand this. This movement is authorized and confirmed by great acaryas as well as the sastras and also by Lord Caitanya Himself Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, non different from Krishna.
Hawaii Jan 18th 1974 SB 1.16.22
So if you make a revolution of this sankirtana movement, everyone chanting and dancing, the government will be changed immediately. So push this movement.
A Revolution? The solution. Let’s make a resolution!
So what’s your solution? A simple formula. What did Srila Prabhupada himself follow on with in Mayapura in 76. What did Srila Prabhupada request as medicine in his last days. “Amala Harinama, amiya bilasa”.
Add the chanting of Hare Krishna more and more to our lives. Okay here’s the suggestion. Let’s go beyond the mechanical process of minimizing the chanting – 16 rounds finished. Thank god. Kirtan – maybe a few minutes a day. Harinama Sankirtan – forget it. Chant while I work – no way. In the bathroom, the car …. UUUh. No more – I did my bit this morning.
Come on that’s to simplistic. Agreed many practical mthings have to be dealt with intelligently. However Mahaprabhu has made the process simple in this age. Chant Hare Krishna. All of our activities should lead to our awaken of our attraction for chanting.
“But I’ve been chanting for 30 years and where am I?”. “Perhaps we have become a bit lethargic in our approach. It’s good that we are keeping the flame going but to cook the preparation we have to turn the temperature up. Prabhupada gave a lecture – trying to cook from 300 miles away. If we want to go forward maybe we have to go forward. We want change. Let’s make change
Chant more and more. The revolution starts at home – transform ourselves. Expose ourselves more and more to the Holy names. “The only reform required is to change our perception of the world by exposing ourselves to the transcendental holy names of the lord.” Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.
Here’s the resolution – CHANT MORE. We don’t have to stop what we are doing even – just add the chanting.
“Chanting the holy name is the chief means of attaining love of Godhead. This chanting or devotional service does not depend on any paraphernalia, nor on one’s having taken birth in a good family. By humility and meekness one attracts the attention of Krsna. That is the verdict of all the Vedas. Therefore if one becomes very humble and meek, he can easily attain the lotus feet of Krsna in this age of Kali. That is the fulfilment of all great sacrifices, penances and austerities because when one achieves ecstatic love of Godhead, he attains the complete perfection of life. Therefore whatever one does in executing devotional service must be accompanied with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.”
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 4.70-71
If people are simply induced to chant Hare Krsna mantra . . . Just see. Even a child, he is taking part. It is natural . . . they are dancing and chanting. So this movement is so important.
Somehow or other if you can engage them in chanting and dancing, the whole world will be united. (Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture, Bombay, December 27, 1974]
19 September, 1969
My Dear Tamala Krishna,
You write to say that you do not know what is my desire, but my desire is an open secret. I simply want all over the Western countries people may take this simple formula of chanting, dancing and eating Krishna Prasadam, and being happy. I am simply surprised that they should not accept this simple formula and be happy themselves. My only desire is that all people become happy and prosperous in Krishna Consciousness.
Hrdayananda Maharaja: “We don’t know how we can increase our desire for chanting.”
Prabhupada: “By performing sankirtana. Just like if a man drinks, and if he drinks and drinks, then he becomes a drunkard.” The example amused the audience, and they broke into laughter. “Drink more and more and you become a drunkard,” Prabhupada continued. “Similarly, chant more and more and you become-perfect chanter.”
“The Krsna consciousness movement has started performing sankirtana yajna in different places, and it has been experienced that wherever sankirtana yajna is performed, many thousands of people gather and take part in it. Imperceptible auspiciousness achieved in this connection should be continued all over the world. The members of the Krsna consciousness movement should perform sankirtana-yajnas one after another, so much that all the people of the world will either jokingly or seriously chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and thus they will derive the benefit of cleansing the heart. The holy name of the Lord (harer nama) is so powerful that whether it is chanted jokingly or seriously the effect of vibrating this transcendental sound will be equally distributed. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.10, purport]
Okay I’m getting a bit carried away, but to be carried away in the waves of Nama Sankirtan is not such a bad thing.
Oh I almost forgot another part of the revolution. Another resolution, perhaps another solution. Think about it. Put more effort into coming together for the morning programme with the devotees and dance and chant together, chant japa together, hear class together, honour prasadam together..Oh! and go for Harinama sankirtan on the street with the sankirtan party.
United we stand…
Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=4790
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